Portable grave-vault



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. E. BAKER.

PORTABLE GRAVE, VAULT. No. 395,537. Patented Jan. 1, 1889.

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(No Model.)

S. E. BAKER.

PORTABLE GRAVE VAULT.

No. 395,537. Patented Jan. 1, 1889-.

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SCIPIO E. WAKFAR, OF S'PRlNt'iFlElil), OHIO.

PORTABLE. G RAVE-VALJ LT.

SPEGZFIOA'IION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,537, dated January 1, 1889.

- Application filed *anaar 18, 1888. Serial No. 261,110. (No model.)

.7'0 (I/ZZ/ who/1t it may concern Be it known that l, SCIPIO E. BAKER, a citizen of the li'nited States, residing at Springfield, in the county of (.lark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Graved aults, of

V grave-vaults of sheet metal entircly that is,

the ends as well as the upper and lower portions. In the manufacture of these vaults more or less difficulty is experienced and more or less expense is involved in constructing the sheetanetal heads or end pieces wit-h the usual inwardly-turned flanges, on account of the circular contour of the upper and lower edges of said end pieces. Again, it is difficult to symmetrically form the several heads so as to secure uniformity of size and regularity in the shape of the completed vault. It is to obviate as far as possible these obstacles to the cheap manufacture of symmetrical portable grave-vaults that my invention is in part designed; and with this in view it consists, essentially, of sheetnnetal top and bottom portions and of malleable-iron heads constructed to receive the sheet-metal portions and having projections to which the fastening devices are secured and with which they engage, and, if desired, with projections which prevent the engagement of the fastening devices during shipment.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved vault entire; Fig. 2, a perspective view of one of the upper heads detached; Fig. 3, a similar view of one of the lower heads; Fig. 4, a detail perspective view of a fragment of the side of the lower portion with a guide secured thereto; Fig. 4:, a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the vault with the upper and lower portions separated; Fig. 5, a sec tional view on the line as of Fig. at; Fig. 6, a detail perspective view of one corner of the lower portion; Fig. 7, a detail perspective view of a guide and a part of the lower head; Fig. 8, a detail vertical sectional view of one of the sides of the upper and lower portions; Fig. 0, a detail vertical sectional view of portions of the upper and lower heads; and Fig. 10, a detail perspective view of the lower corner of one of the upper heads, showing an on twa rdly- H a rin g guide.

The letter A designates the upper portion of my vault, which includes the top and the sides B, constructed of sheet in eta] --as iron or steel, preferably iron.

The letter C designates the lower portion, which includes the bottom and the sides D, constructed of sheet metal, preferably iron.

The letter E designates the end pieces or heads of the upper portion, and these heads are made of malleable iron, and are preferably somewhat thicker than the sheet metal, and cast integrally with them are inwardlyprojecting flanges F and outwardlyprojecting narrow beads G. These beads and flanges form seats into which the sheet metal is fitted and secured by rivets or bolts. The flanges F are designed to be slightly thinner than the beads of the heads, but yet thicker than the sheet metal. Projecting from the inner faces of the heads E are lugs H, which serve to engage the upper edge of the lower portion of the vault. and determine the lap of one portion over the other, and which also act to support the upper portion in amanner presently to be described to prevent the fastening devices from engaging with each other. Projecting also from the said heads are la s I, to which the shanks of the spring-catches J are secured by bolts or rivets. The letter'L designates the lower end pieces or heads, and is also constructed of malleable iron and provided wit-h the flange andbead described with reference to the head E. The head. L also has lugs M cast integrally with it, which act in conjunction with the lugs H in sustaining the portions of the vault in position to prevent the catching devices from engaging during shipment and storage. The head L is further provided with the projections O, the upper faces of which are preferably beveled off to more readily enable the lugs J to spring past them when the parts are being locked together. The position of the lugs H is such that they will not interfere with the proper overlapping of the two parts of the vault when the barN is removed. These lugs,when the parts are locked together, rest upon the lugs M, and form ashoulder to determine the overlap. It is to be observed that the tedious and expensive procedure of forming flanges on the ordinary sheet-metal heads, and conse quent weakness in the heads at the joints occasioned by the flanges, is avoided. This is where the sheet-metal heads are obj ectionable, and to perfectly insure the avoidance of cracking the metal by bending it resort has to be made to heating it, which adds further to the expense. Again, it is more or less difficult to so perfectly form the flai'igcs that thesheet metal shall fit so snugly upon them as to keep moisture from working through into the vault and into the coffin, which it is desired to preserve from the effects of dampness as long as possible. lVith these malleable-iron heads these flanges are smooth and uniformly shaped, and the sheet metal can be drawn absolutely water-tight. Besides the regularity of the flanges, the malleable-iron heads have beads against which the sheetmetal portions are fitted, making a further joint, which it is not practical to make with a sheet-metal head.

It is found desirable to support the upper portion of the vault between its ends, at about the middle, to prevent the weight of the earth upon it from telescoping the two portions; and it is also desirable to lock the vault at the sides as well as at the ends. These two ends I accomplish by a bracket, a, riveted or bolted to the upper portion of the vault and formin a shoulder, 1), which rests upon the upper edge of the lower portion, and having a lug, c, which stands opposite the locking-stud (Z and prevents the side of the lower portion being bent in, (with the view to springing the catch in some way,) as the stud d will come in contact with the lug c. The bolts or rivets e 5 may be of the kind called blind bolis or rivets, if desired, as shown at e.

The letters f and g designate the guides by which the upper portion of the vault is guided in fitting it over the lower portion. These guides consist, preferably, of castings secured to the corners and sides of the lower portion of the vault and shouldered at H. They curve inwardly from the outer side. If, however, they are placed on the upper portion and it was to be placed over the lower portion, as in the present instance, then they would be curved outwardly, as seen in Fig. 10. These guides greatly facilitate the fitting of one portion over the other.

The letter i designates a metallic flange or trough, preferably made of sheet metal, and secured to the lower portion of the vault and extended entirely round it. Into this trough the lower edge of the upper portion extends, as seen in Fig. 8, after which a suitable cement or earth maybe packed in the trough and an air-tight joint formed. Thus the joint can be made absolutely impervious to the moisture, which usually more or less soaks through the overlapping joint from the earth packed about the vault and into the interior thereof, damaging the coffin.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a portable grave-vault, a malleableiron head having lugs formed integrally therewith to regulate the overlap of the top and bottom of the vault.

2. In a portable grave-vault, the combina tion, with a malleable-iron flanged head having lugs formed integrally therewith, 01. catches secured to said lugs, whereby the place of attachment of the catches to the head is not discoverable from the outer side.

3. In a portable grave-vault, the combina' tion, with the lower portion and a stud secured to the inside thereof, of the upper portion adapted to fit over the lower and having a bracket secured to the inner side thereof, a part of which stands opposite said stud to prevent the lower portion being sprung in at its upper edge.

In. testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SOIPIQ E. BAKER. Witnesses:

J AS. H. llIAHAN, A. N. SUMMERS. 

